Murder By Voodoo

by Elroy Willis -- June 4, 2003

MOBILE, ALABAMA (EAP)
-- Trial began today for a case involving a
Mobile woman who hired a professional voodoo doctor to kill her
husband. Murder charges were filed by the victim's lover against
both his wife and the voodoo doctor she hired.

Karen Urvcane, 34, and Tobias Washington, 32 were in the heat of
passion when Washington clutched his chest and fell over on top of
Urvcane. The coroner's report lists the cause of death as a heart
attack, but Urvcane is convinced that it was the work of voodoo.

"I couldn't stand my husband cheating on me no more and wanted
him dead," said 31-year-old Bodella Washington, who contacted
Roy Abulubu, a Mobile voodoo doctor who has been casting spells
on people for the last 25 years.

"I took some hair from my husband's hairbrush and a pair of his dirty
underwear to Mr. Abulubu who used them in a magic ceremony, and three
days later my husband was dead," Washington said.

Urvcane, who learned of Bodella Washington's visit to the voodoo
doctor through a mutual friend is convinced that the magic spell is
what killed her lover.

"Tobias was young and healthy and was a real love-machine who could
keep going all night long," Urvcane said. "He didn't have any heart
problems, and this is obviously the work of voodoo and a clear case of
intentional murder."

Jury selection for the trial took over six weeks as the defense
and prosecution weeded out those they felt were unfit to serve
on the jury due to biases or disbelief concerning voodoo.

They settled on a jury of six voodoo believers and six voodoo
non-believers in order to reach a compromise.

"We have a feeling we might end up with a hung jury, but justice
must go on," they said.